Cleveland Browns: 3 players likely on the trading block
1. Josh McCown
This one is no surprise and is easily the most likely to occur out of any. McCown isn’t getting any younger, and is no longer any team’s franchise quarterback. He wasn’t last year either.
His name was thrown around constantly this offseason with so many teams needing help at quarterback. Denver, Philadelphia and Los Angeles were all linked to McCown before their respective trades up in the draft. Houston was also mentioned before they signed Brock Osweiler.
McCown began last season as the starter over now unemployed Johnny Manziel, but was replaced multiple times due to injury, before missing the rest of the season after breaking his collarbone in a Monday night loss to Baltimore. At 36, injuries are just a price you pay for continuing to play.
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It wasn’t all bad for McCown though. According to Cleveland.com, McCown had the highest passer rating (93.3) for a Browns quarterback that has played at least four games in a season since Bernie Kosar in 1987 (95.4). He also set a Browns record for most consecutive games with over 300 yards passing in Weeks 3-5. Oh, and he also now holds the franchise record for most passing yards in a single game with 457.
The argument could be made that he should be kept around to mentor Robert Griffin III and Cody Kessler, but opponents of that need only point to his 1-6 record as starter while in Cleveland. He provided a good distraction and alternative at times from the dumpster fire that was and still is Johnny Manziel, but for all intents and purposes, he’s done his job with the Browns and it is time to move on.
Next: A future Hall of Famer